The Good and the Bad of Consultants
by AlliBeth
Summary: Can I start by saying I LOVED 7x05. The Lisbon/Jane interactions were a 100 per cent improvement on recent episodes. This is a possible tag to the ep, set the next day, related to the closing discussion between Lisbon and Jane. A conversation between Lisbon and Abbott.


Dennis Abbott glanced towards his office door as Teresa Lisbon made her third pass in an hour.

Something was up.

"You know, Cho," he said into the phone, "I have to go, but I'll call you back in 10 minutes. Just keep him on a short leash."

Slowly placing the phone on his desk, he made for the door, leaning out and calling across the wider area of the office.

"Agent Lisbon - a moment?"

He tried not to smirk as she got that deer in headlights look. While it was clear she wanted to talk, it wasn't something she was all that comfortable with.

Abbott moved to sit back in his chair, waiting for her to enter and watching painfully as she stood in the doorway, making no commitment to come or go.

He rolled his eyes. "Sit Teresa."

She nodded, taking the seat in front of him, "Is there something wrong? Did Jane do something wrong?"

Abbott smiled at her, "No, I just got off the phone from Cho. He says, and I quote, 'Jane has been on his best behaviour today'."

Lisbon raised an eyebrow, "Well, the day is still young, boss."

"Indeed it is. In fact, that's what Cho said…."

They settled into an uncomfortable silence for a moment, until Abbott couldn't take it any longer. "Lisbon, what's going on?"

"I don't know what you mean…."

He laughed, "Your poker face isn't all that good, Agent. You've been lurking around my office, you've been getting coffee when I've been getting coffee… You clearly want to talk about something. Just spill it."

"Okay…"

He could see her face colouring a little as she struggled for words.

"Jane and I…. we… what I mean to say is….."

"Yes?"

"Well, we…."

Abbott smiled, deciding to put her out of her misery. "You're a couple," he stated.

Lisbon nodded.

"This isn't news to me, Teresa. I gave him my car to stop you from leaving Florida. I bailed him out when he was locked up for boarding the flight… "

"I know…."

"But now it's out in the open, I have to commend you on your behaviour around the office. You've been nothing but professional - both of you."

Lisbon gave him a nod, and a shy smile.

"So.. now that's out of the way, what's the real problem?"

"It's not a problem as such… I just… I'd like to discuss options."

"Options?"

"Yes, options for the future."

Abbott frowned, "I'm not sure I get where you're coming from. Are you saying you want to work on different teams?"

"No!" she replied hurriedly. "Definitely not… but Jane's getting restless. He's been tense since the business with Marie and her boyfriend nearly blowing our brains out. He's talking about the two of us riding off into the sunset in that silver bucket of his."

"Is he forgetting the FBI owns him for the next few years?"

Lisbon shrugged, "He loves the job. He loves the challenge and being the smartest person in the room. We both know that. I love the job. The sticking point is that he's afraid something's going to happen to me."

"Understandable."

"So my proposal is this - if in the future he and I decide to make a change, you take me on as a consultant."

Abbott let out a sigh, "You're an excellent agent, Lisbon. One of my best."

"And I can be just as good as a consultant. I'd just be doing the job without a title and without a gun."

"I'd need to think about it…" her boss replied. "If it was the only way to keep you…."

"I'm not saying this is how it has to be. I'm not saying I'll want to go down this path at all - I'd just like to raise it as an option. I'd be happy to work with Cho - just like Jane is today. I trust him with my life."

Abbott nodded, "He learned from the best. You can be proud of the agent he is."

She smiled. "Think of it this way - it'd be like having two Janes around. But the second one would give you a lot less headaches and a lot less paperwork."

"I'll keep it in mind…"

"Okay, great… thank you…"

Both startled as Abbott's phone rang and Cho's name flashed up on the screen. "I"m almost afraid to answer this…."

Lisbon laughed. "Remember, a second consultant with none of the dramas of the first," she told him as she stood to leave the room.

"It's starting to sound tempting," her boss answered as he turned his attention to the phone. "Cho…. Cho slow down. He did what?"


End file.
